MOUNT VERNON — On the day our nation honors the parents of our parents, memories flourish forth and wisdom spreads her wings to the youth, often one is reminded of the proverb, “Grandchildren are the crown for old men.”
The nationally recognized Grandparents Day is often forgotten by many though there are those few who remember the special times with their grandparents and go to visit them with joyous thoughts.
Eleven-year-old Katie Daniels was happy to spend time with her grandmother Eileen Blubaugh on Sunday afternoon during Country Court Nursing Center’s Ice Cream Social in honor of the day.
Daniels remembers a lot of fun times with her grandmother like visiting her on the farm in Brinkhaven with all the sheep, cows, pigs and “a lot of cats.”
“Grandma loves cats,” said Daniels.
Baking with her grandma was always fun, she said. Daniels recalled Thanksgiving being her favorite holiday because she was able to cook with her grandmother.
Though its the little things in life that make memories so grand. “Grandma’s the best back scratcher ever,” she said.
Other fond memories of taking walks with her grandmother to the Bridge of Dreams in Brinkhaven, and visiting grandma’s house with all the beautiful marigolds, wildflowers, mums and gladiolus.
Daniels was reminded of the times she read books with her grandmother and played Old Maid.
With Grandma Blubaugh turning 87 years old in a month, Daniels also reminiscences about the time grandma’s old farmhouse got a new basement put in.
“My mother stayed there the whole time while the bulldozer lifted up the house,” added Barbara Blubaugh, Daniels’ aunt. “She’s lived in that same house for over 60 years.”
Eileen has many jewels upon her crown with being the mother of seven children, grandmother to 14 and the great-grandmother to 20. She enjoyed the bowl of vanilla ice cream and strawberry syrupy with her granddaughter Katie and other family members during the event.
This is Country Court’s second year hosting the social in honor of Grandparents Day. “The more you do it the more it catches on,” said Heather Thomas, activities director. “Residents love it. And if the grandchildren don’t come, most of the time the children do.”
Thomas remembers when she was a child celebrating Grandparents Day by making them cards and visiting. That is a practice she has passed on to her own children.
“Not a lot of people know about it but I’ve known about it since I was a little girl,” she said. Now as a parent, she has her children make cards and visit with their grandparents in honor of the day.